Tuesday, Jordan Rideaux was named to the AFCA Div. III All-America team
PINEVILLE – Wide receiver/punt-return-man/kick-return-man/tailback/quarterback Jordan Rideaux was a jack-of-all-trades and master of every area of his game for the Louisiana College Wildcats this season and the American Football Coaches Association, with its announcement of its 2009 NCAA Division III All-America team, seemed to recognize it.
Rideaux, a 5-foot-8, 170-pound junior from Carencro, was named to the All-America team at the most appropriate position: all-purpose athlete.
“This is huge for Louisiana College football,” fourth-year LC coach Dennis Dunn said. “Jordan is very deserving. To me, there’s not a better player in Division III. If there is one who is better, that guy probably shouldn’t be in Division III.”
Actually, Dunn added, a strong case can be made that Rideaux’s playing career could take him beyond Division III.
“In the right camp, in the right situation, he could play on Sundays,” Dunn said. “I’m being serious about that. I’ve coached eight guys who made it to the NFL and I believe Jordan Rideaux has the talent and the heart that it takes.”
The first AFCA All-American in LC history, Rideaux was one of the most versatile offensive weapons, racking up 1,857 all-purpose yards (a new single-season record for LC) and scored 14 touchdowns.
He caught 78 passes for 1,157 yards and 11 touchdowns (two more single-season records), rushed eight times for 23 yards and a touchdown, returned 17 punts for 281 yards and one touchdown, returned 17 kickoffs for 400 yards and one touchdown and completed one pass for 22 yards.
He also became the first player in LC history to score a touchdown via a reception, rush, punt return and kickoff return in the same season.
“I wasn’t even sure if I had done enough (to earn All-America),” Rideaux said. “Everyone said I had done enough, but I wasn’t sure. I’m just happy to know that I won it. This is a big honor for me.”
Dunn was not as uncertain as his star player regarding Rideaux’s candidacy.
“He’s just a humble guy,” Dunn said. “I thought he did more than enough. Honestly, I would have been very disappointed had he not got on.”
And why not after the season Rideaux had, one in which he set virtually every Wildcat single-season record in the area of receiving, all-purpose yards and scoring.
“It was a good year,” Rideaux admitted. “I guess the only thing I can do is come back next year and try to do better and maybe get (All-America honors) again.”
Maine Maritime running back Jim Bower and Mount Union wide receiver Cecil Shorts headlined the 2009 AFCA Division III Coaches’ All-America team.
The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best — the coaches themselves.
Bower led Division III in rushing this season, averaging 160.5 yards per game to help lead the Mariners to their first NCAA Division III playoff appearance. Shorts enters this weekend’s Stagg Bowl averaging 110 yards per game receiving.
The 2009 AFCA Division III Coaches’ All-America Team is as follows:
Offense
Pos. Name, Ht., Wt., Cl., School, Coach, Hometown (High School)
WR Cecil Shorts, 6-2, 195, Sr., Mount Union, Larry Kehres, Cleveland, Ohio (Collinwood)
WR Jared Manzer, 6-0, 190, Sr., Alfred, Dave Murray, Johnson City, N.Y. (Johnson City)
TE Renard Ellis, 6-2, 230, Sr., Mississippi College, Norman Joseph, Winter Haven, Fla. (Winter Haven)
OL Evan Isaacs, 6-3, 267, Sr., Wabash, Erik Raeburn, Indianapolis, Ind. (North Central)
OL Blaine Westemeyer*, 6-5, 280, Sr., Augustana (Ill.), Jim Barnes, Overland Park, Kan. (Blue Valley NW)
OL Josh Ostrue*, 6-4, 305, Sr., St. Thomas (Minn.), Glenn Caruso, South St. Paul, Minn. (South St. Paul)
OL Josh Delancy, 5-11, 302, Sr., North Central, John Thorne, Stuart, Fla. (Jensen Beach)
OL Scott Millenbach, 6-2, 280, Sr., Linfield, Joe Smith, Olympia, Wash. (Capital)
QB Dan Whalen, 6-1, 190, Sr., Case Western, Greg Debeljak, Willoughby, Ohio (South)
RB Caleb Jennings, 5-7, 175, Jr., Emory & Henry, Don Montgomery, Cedar Bluff, Va. (Richlands)
RB Jim Bower, 5-9, 225, Sr., Maine Maritime, Chris McKenney, South Paris, Maine (Oxford Hills)
Defense
DL Michael Ward, 6-2, 327, Sr., Wesley, Mike Drass, Norwich, Conn. (Norwich Free Academy)
DL Jacob Bloomhuff, 6-3, 245, Sr., Wash. & Jeff., Mike Sirianni, Grosse Pointe, Mich. (North)
DL Anthony Goranson, 6-5, 255, Sr., Monmouth (Ill.), Steve Bell, Bartlett, Ill. (Belvidere)
DL Paul Cynewski, 6-3, 245, Sr., Salisbury, Sherman Wood, Moorestown, N.J. (Moorestown)
DL Eddie Vallery, 6-2, 220, Jr., Wittenberg, Joe Fincham, South Solon, Ohio (Madison Plains)
LB Scott Driscoll, 6-0, 215, Sr., Curry, Skip Bandini, North Andover, Mass. (North Andover)
LB Brad Steinmetz, 6-0, 224, Sr. Thomas More, Jim Hilvert, West Harrison, Ind. (East Central)
LB Erik Prosser, 6-3, 225, Jr., Mount St. Joseph, Rod Huber, Cincinnati, Ohio (Oak Hills)
LB Ryan Wimmer, 6-0, 220, Sr., St. John’s (Minn.), John Gagliardi, St. Cloud, Minn, (Cathedral)
DB Bryson Tucker, 5-9, 185, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor, Pete Fredenburg, Caldwell, Texas (Caldwell)
DB Dominique Dixon, 6-1, 195, Sr., Montclair, St. Rick, Giancola Wharton, N.J. (Morris Hills)
Specialists
P Jared Jenkins, 6-4, 210, Jr., Wis.-Stevens Point, John Miech, Milwaukee, Wis. (Rufus King)
PK Jeff Schebler, 6-0, 182, Sr., Wis.-Whitewater, Lance Leipold, Davenport, Iowa (Assumption)
AP Jordan Rideaux, 5-8, 170, Jr., Louisiana College, Dennis Dunn, Carencro, La. (Carencro)
For more information on the AFCA and its programs log on to the AFCA’s website at www.afca.com.